Skip to main content. Blood and blood vessels. Home Blood and blood vessels. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. Minor bleeding Severe external bleeding Internal bleeding — visible Internal bleeding — not visible Internal bleeding is a medical emergency Spread of disease through bleeding Where to get help Things to remember. Bleeding is the loss of blood from the circulatory system. Causes can range from small cuts and abrasions to deep cuts and amputations.
Injuries to the body can also result in internal bleeding, which can range from minor seen as superficial bruising to massive bleeds. First aid for severe external or internal bleeding is critical in order to limit the loss of blood until emergency medical aid arrives.
First aid actions to manage external bleeding include applying direct pressure to the wound, maintaining the pressure using pads and bandages, and, raising the injured limb above the level of the heart if possible.
Minor bleeding Small cuts and abrasions that are not bleeding excessively can be managed at home. First aid suggestions include: Clean the injured area with sterile gauze soaked in normal saline or clean water.
Do not use cotton wool or any material that will fray or leave fluff in the wound. Apply an appropriate dressing such as a band aid or a non-adhesive dressing held in place with a hypoallergenic tape. This dressing must be changed regularly. A dirty wound carries a high risk of infection. If you have not had a booster vaccine against tetanus in the last five years, see your doctor.
Nosebleeds Bleeding from the nose is usually not severe. First aid suggestions include: Sit the person upright and ask them to tilt their head forward. Using the thumb and forefinger, squeeze their nostrils shut. Hold for at least 10 minutes. Here's what sets it apart from two other kinds of bleeding, and how to treat it. When your skin gets cut or scraped, you begin to bleed. Bleeding serves a useful purpose because it helps to clean out a wound.
But too much bleeding…. Find information on bleeding disorder symptoms, causes, and complications. Cauterization is the process of destroying tissue with electricity or chemicals.
Not sure what a contusion is? Rubber bullets and bean bag bullets are considered to be non-lethal weapons. But due to their large size and irregular shape, they can still cause….
Here are the signs of an ACL tear. Wound dehiscence occurs when a surgical incision reopens. Discover risk factors, tips to ensure proper healing, serious complications, and more. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Alana Biggers, M. Common symptoms Timeline Overall blood loss Menstruation Injuries If you suspect internal bleeding How to stop external bleeding Act quickly Emergency medical treatment Takeaway Is this common?
What does it feel like? How long does it take? How much blood is lost? Can your period cause this? What injuries can cause this? Symptoms such as severe abdominal pain or a severe headache should always be evaluated by a medical professional.
In some areas of the body, pain may be localized to the area of bleeding. With areas such as the abdomen, however, the location of pain may not necessarily reflect the area of bleeding.
In fact, when blood in the abdomen irritates the diaphragm, pain may be felt primarily in the shoulder. Shortness of Breath. Shortness of breath , or the sensation of being unable to take a deep breath, may be a symptom of internal bleeding anywhere. With blood loss, there are fewer red blood cells and hemoglobin circulating to carry oxygen to tissues, and the lack of oxygen delivery to tissues may be experienced as shortness of breath. Certainly, shortness of breath is also common with bleeding in the chest cavity, or when the buildup of blood in the abdomen pushes up on the diaphragm, restricting airflow into the lungs.
Chest or Shoulder Pain. Bleeding into the chest may cause chest pain, and bleeding into either the chest or abdomen by irritating the diaphragm can cause shoulder pain. Chest pain may also occur with internal bleeding at any location due to inadequate oxygen being delivered to the coronary arteries that feed the heart.
A sensation of tingling in the hands and feet is common with internal bleeding, and has several explanations. With blood loss, the body often "clamps" down circulation to the extremities, redirecting blood flow to vital structures such as the heart and brain. Internal bleeding can also cause hyperventilation both due to pain and to an attempt to increase oxygen delivery to the rest of the body.
This may also result in tingling in the hands and feet. Changes in Vision and Other Neurological Signs. Changes in vision associated with lightheadedness may be associated with internal bleeding anywhere why fainting is referred to as "blacking out".
Specific visual changes such as double vision, weakness or numbness of one side of the body, a severe headache, or loss of coordination may be a sign of bleeding into the brain. Nausea or Vomiting. Sometimes, a person who has internal bleeding will be unable to answer questions or may even be unconscious. While symptoms are what a person feels, signs of a condition are visible indicators that another person can see.
External bleeding, such as bleeding from the mouth, nose, ears, vagina, or rectum, suggests that internal bleeding may be present as well. Some signs associated with internal bleeding include:. Signs of Shock. With blood loss, several changes may be seen, such as a rapid heart rate, a rapid respiratory rate, and low blood pressure. Most often, signs of shock occur when a person has lost between 10 percent to 15 percent of their blood volume.
Heavy Sweating. Diaphoresis , or profuse, heavy sweating that isn't caused by heat or exertion, is common with internal bleeding as well as other medical emergencies. It's common for people to display guarding when internal bleeding occurs. Guarding is an unconscious attempt to keep another person or physician from touching a region of the body that is tender or bleeding.
Bruising in some regions of the body is sometimes a specific sign of internal bleeding. Bruising around the umbilicus belly button is referred to as Cullen's sign, and suggests internal bleeding in the abdomen.
Bruising on the flanks between the rib cage and hips on the side of the abdomen is known as Grey Turner's sign and also suggest bleeding in the abdomen or retroperitoneal space cavity towards the back of the abdomen where the kidneys lie. Bruising in other regions ecchymosis also suggest internal bleeding, such as when extensive bruising occurs on the extremities associated with an underlying fracture. Change in Mental Status or Loss of Consciousness. A change in mental status or total loss of consciousness often means that a significant amount of blood has been lost with the exception of head injuries or bleeding into the brain , and should be considered an emergency.
Internal bleeding in specific regions of the body may also lead to other symptoms. Brain and Spinal Cord. Bleeding into the brain often causes a severe headache, nausea, and vomiting. Weakness on one side of the body or changes in vision may occur. As bleeding progresses, changes in mental status such as confusion and disorientation may occur, followed by loss of consciousness.
Seizures may also occur. Bleeding into the chest may cause a number of different symptoms depending on the specific location. Bleeding into the airways can cause a gasping cough. Coughing up blood hemoptysis , even just a teaspoon, is a medical emergency, and massive hemoptysis coughing up a fourth of a cup of blood or more has a high mortality rate.
Shortness of breath may occur with bleeding anywhere in the chest. Treating minor or mild hemorrhages typically involves rest and hydration. Typically, a clot will develop that temporarily limits bleeding while the blood vessel repairs itself. Over time, the surrounding bodily tissues will reabsorb the excess blood. Treating moderate to severe internal bleeding involves the administration of intravenous vitamin K, fresh frozen plasma, blood, and platelets.
More recently, doctors have begun to administer very high doses of complexes and compounds that stimulate clotting. Sometimes, doctors may give intravenous fluids rich in electrolytes to people with internal bleeding. Once an individual is stabilized, or no longer at risk of death, treatment involves locating and stopping the source of the bleed. Depending on the severity of the hemorrhage, surgery may be necessary to repair the blood vessel and remove excess blood.
Physical therapy and lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking or drinking alcohol, may also be recommended to reduce the chances of further injury and bleeding. If untreated, severe or chronic hemorrhaging might lead to organ failure, seizures, coma, external bleeding, and eventually death. Even with treatment, severe internal bleeding is often fatal. Early identification and treatment of internal bleeding can reduce the risk of complications and help a person make a full recovery.
Except for minor cases, such as those involving small blood vessels close to the surface of the skin, internal bleeding requires immediate medical attention. Even a small hemorrhage can quickly become life-threatening. In severe cases, internal bleeding can cause death within 6 hours of hospital admission. It is critical to go to a hospital or call emergency service as soon as internal bleeding is suspected.
0コメント